"The cave is covered in dust, but the formation is still operating," Elian muttered, his brow furrowing slightly as he deduced the origin of the cave.
This place had clearly been abandoned for many years, yet the formation still retained much of its power. The owner of this cave must have had remarkable expertise in formations.
Just then, a streak of light shot across the distant sky.
Deng Yuanwu, riding his treasure boat, swiftly passed through the air. His eyes glimmered with spiritual light, and with a glance, he pierced through the mountain's illusory barrier, revealing the tier-three spirit mountain.
"It's an ancient cultivator's cave!" Deng Yuanwu and Deng Yuanjie exchanged startled glances, then quickly directed their treasure boat toward the mountain.
Deng Yuanjie scanned the mountain, his excitement evident.
"This cave has been abandoned for ages, yet its formation still retains seventy percent of its power. Its origins must be extraordinary."
Deng Yuanwu nodded but fixed his gaze on Elian.
"Let's kill him first. Then, we'll claim the cave for ourselves." Without waiting, he activated his tier-three blade, striking toward Elian.
"Reckless!" Deng Yuanjie's face paled, but it was too late to stop him.
Before Elian could respond, the blade's attack triggered the cave's protective formation.
The formation roared to life, pulling everyone into the cave with a powerful suction force.
"It's a trapping array!"
Elian landed inside the cave, his eyes narrowing as he observed his surroundings. Yaya was safely beside him, but the Deng brothers were nowhere to be seen.
The space around him was enveloped in thick mist, with a tier-three upper-grade formation confining him. Escaping this formidable array would not be easy.
"It seems the owner of this cave doesn't have hostile intentions," he mused, shielding Yaya behind him. His attention then shifted to a luminous crystal ahead.
"A recording stone."
Elian's eyes sharpened as he recognized the object. Recording stones were treasures used to store images and sounds.
Low-tier stones weren't particularly valuable, but this tier-three recording stone was a rare and precious item, worth tens of thousands of spirit stones. It could preserve information for over a millennium and was perfect for recording legacies.
"It seems this is a message left by the owner of this place."
With a wave of his sleeve, Elian infused the stone with spiritual energy, activating it.
The recording stone emitted a beam of light, projecting an ethereal figure.
The figure of an aged, withered man appeared, seated cross-legged, his expression serene as he began to speak.
"I am Mo Hongwu. I have cultivated for over five hundred years. Now, sensing that my lifespan is nearing its end, I leave behind this recording stone. I don't know which fortunate soul may come upon it."
As the light flickered, Elian quickly learned of the man's story.
Mo Hongwu, also known as Mo the Wanderer, was a renowned rogue cultivator of his time. In his youth, he had fortuitously acquired rare alchemy and formation techniques, which he cultivated with great talent to achieve fame.
In his prime, Mo Hongwu was one of the top Purple Mansion cultivators in the Azuregreen Mountains. He consumed three longevity pills and made three attempts to break through to the Golden Core stage, even reaching the threshold of a pseudo-core.
Yet, he ultimately fell short. His repeated failures exhausted not only his accumulated wealth but also the lives of close companions who defended his resources.
After his final failed attempt, Mo Hongwu found himself alone, his vitality utterly depleted. With nothing left, he left behind this legacy in bitterness.
The recording explained that Mo Hongwu wished to pass on his alchemical and formation legacies. This cave was the designated site for the inheritance. If the inheritor could decipher the control method of the Mo-Wang Peak formation within one day, they would prove their aptitude and inherit the techniques.
"The key to controlling the Grand Metal Sword Array," Elian murmured as he realized the reason the formation had separated him from the Deng brothers—to prevent interference.
Whoever mastered the control method first would inherit the legacy.
However, if no one succeeded within a day, the protective array would activate and eliminate all intruders to safeguard the legacy.
"This won't be easy," Elian remarked calmly. Deciphering a tier-three upper-grade formation in such a short time was a significant challenge. Most Foundation Establishment cultivators would likely fail.
However, he was confident in his abilities. At just three years old, he had memorized his meridians in a single glance and comprehended cultivation techniques overnight—a testament to his extraordinary insight.
"Let's give it a try," he said, examining the jade slip before delving into meditation.
After about half an incense stick's time, Elian opened his eyes and began testing the control techniques.
With a burst of light, the formation responded to his efforts and yielded to his control.
"Not too difficult," Elian muttered, standing up. He used the formation to scan the cave and quickly located the Deng brothers on the other side, still struggling with their deciphering efforts.
"Good, this saves me the trouble of a fight," Elian said coldly, activating the Grand Metal Sword Array.
Blades of light erupted like a tsunami, surging toward the Deng brothers.
"No! How could this happen so fast?" Deng Yuanjie cried in horror as the onslaught overwhelmed them.
The two desperately activated their defensive treasures, but the formation, powered by the tier-three upper-grade spiritual vein, proved unstoppable.
Their defenses crumbled within seconds, and the unrelenting sword light struck them down.
After ensuring they were dead, Elian let out a sigh of relief. He retrieved their storage bags and meticulously searched them. To prevent any tracking methods, he only took essential valuables like spirit stones, treasures, pills, and jade slips.
...
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I need POWAAA! Gimme Power Stones :D